Who is the Chief of Staff?
Chief of Staff (CoS) The Chief of Staff is a strategic management function that acts as an extension of the CEO, Group CEO or other top leadership. The role has become increasingly common in larger companies, fast-growing companies, the public sector and non-profit organizations where management needs to increase its effectiveness without creating additional hierarchical levels. A Chief of Staff is usually not a line manager with their own operational responsibility for a business unit. Instead, the person acts as the strategic partner of the leader by coordinating priorities, driving cross-functional initiatives, preparing decision-making materials and ensuring that decisions are implemented within the organization. For management teams, the role offers several opportunities: better coordination, higher execution capabilities, faster decision-making processes and increased transparency regarding strategic initiatives. At the same time, there are risks. If the mandate is unclear, the role can be perceived as a ”shadow manager”, create dual control or complicate the division of responsibilities. In Swedish business culture, where collaboration, consensus, and clear mandates are highly valued, it is particularly important for the Chief of Staff to act as a facilitator rather than a position of power. A well-designed CoS role can give management better focus on strategy while strengthening the organization’s ability to execute.
History and organization
The concept Chief of Staff Has roots in the military, where the chief of staff was responsible for supporting the commander with planning, coordination, and follow-up. Over the past decades, the role has established itself in the business world, especially in the United States, and has subsequently spread to European organizations. A Chief of Staff can be described as the ”integrator” of the leadership. The role creates structure between strategic decisions and practical implementation. Common responsibilities include:
- Strategic planning and prioritization
- Coordination of the management group's work
- Follow-up of strategic initiatives
- Preparation of board and management materials
- Driving change programs
- Stakeholder management and internal communication
- Coordination between functions such as finance, HR, IT and operations
In practice, the role varies greatly between organizations.
Three common CoS models
1. Strategic advisor
Works as the CEO’s closest strategic partner. Works with analysis, market issues, scenario planning, and decision support.
2. Enforcement Officer
Focuses on ensuring that management decisions are truly implemented. Works with follow-up, KPIs, and cross-functional coordination.
3. Change leaders
Manages larger transformation projects such as digitalization, organizational changes, mergers, or business development.
In many organizations, these roles are combined.
Competence profile
A successful Chief of Staff is often a person with broad business understanding and strong analytical skills. Common backgrounds are:
- Management consulting (e.g. McKinsey, BCG, Bain)
- Business development
- Strategic functions
- Project management
- Operational management
- Military staff training
Key competencies include:
- Strategic thinking
- Communication skills
- Building relationships
- Project management
- Change management
- Business understanding
- Integrity and judgment
Swedish business relationships
In Sweden, the role mainly occurs in:
- Larger groups
- Private equity-owned companies
- Technology and growth companies
- Public sector
- Member and industry organizations
Swedish leadership often relies on delegation and high levels of trust. Therefore, the question of mandates becomes crucial. A CoS that attempts to manage operations without formal responsibility risks creating resistance. A CoS that instead creates structure, transparency, and collaboration can be very effective. For boards, the role is particularly interesting because it often strengthens the link between strategy, management, and execution.
Chief of Staff in context
The chief of staff typically arises when an organization reaches a level of complexity where the CEO can no longer personally coordinate all important initiatives. The role is influenced by several external factors:
- Increased organizational complexity
- Digital transformation
- High rate of change
- More regulatory requirements
- Globalization
- Hybrid and remote work
In modern organizations, management often needs to coordinate many parallel projects. Examples could be digitalization, sustainability efforts, talent acquisition, and business development simultaneously. The Chief of Staff then acts as a hub between management, the board, and the organization. This role becomes particularly valuable when multiple functions need to collaborate on common goals. In non-profit organizations, foundations and member organizations often use this role to coordinate between the board, the office, and external stakeholders. In such environments, diplomacy and the ability to collaborate are often more important than formal mandates.
Chief of Staff and other related areas of expertise
Chief of Staff is closely related to several other management disciplines.
- Strategy – CoS often works on translating strategic goals into concrete activities and follow-up.
- Program and project management – Many CoS functions are responsible for steering strategic programs and larger change initiatives.
- PMO (Project Management Office) – A PMO focuses on project management, while a Chief of Staff has a broader management perspective that includes strategy, communication, and prioritization.
- Operational management – The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is usually responsible for the operational management. CoS focuses more on coordination and management support.
- Governance and corporate governance – The role often contributes to improving decision-making processes, reporting, and management control.
- Change management – Digital transformations and organizational changes are common areas of responsibility where CoS acts as a driving force.
These adjacent areas make the role often described as a combination of strategist, project manager, advisor, and coordinator.
What benefit can the Chief of Staff contribute?
A well-functioning Chief of Staff can create significant value for an organization.
For the management
- Free up time for CEO and management team
- Increases the quality of decision-making material
- Ensures follow-up of decisions
- Improves prioritization between initiatives
For the organization
- Reduces silo thinking
- Improves interaction between functions
- Increases the implementation power
- Creates clearer responsibilities and transparency
For the board
- Better reporting
- Higher quality in strategy implementation
- Increased predictability in change management
Examples
If an organization has ten strategic initiatives at the same time, responsibilities, resources, and priorities can easily become unclear. A Chief of Staff can establish common follow-up, identify obstacles early, and ensure that management’s priorities are actually implemented. In practice, the greatest benefit is often that the role builds the bridge between Strategy and execution. Many organizations have good strategies but weak follow-up. The Chief of Staff function reduces this gap and increases the likelihood that management’s decisions lead to real results.
